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Hubei Province

Hubei province, as the geographic center of much of China, is considered the cradle of ancient civilization with much of the commerce and industry arising around the great Yangtze River. It is rich with examples of the ancient Chu State culture from the Yellow Crane Tower, the bells from the Tomb of Marquis Yi, imperial mausoleums, and the Wudang Mountain temples and palaces. Hubei is a well known province among many adoptive families. Although no official statistics are readily available on the number of adoptions from each province, Hubei has been a province from which hundreds of families from around the world, have expanded their families through adoption. It has beautiful green rice fields, clear lakes, blossoming cherry flowers in the East and wild mountains with primitive forests in the West.

Hubei has a history of being the center of government in China. During the Han Dynasty, Hubei was the capitol for several rulers. In recent history, during 1911, it was also the site of the Republican Revolution led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen. He is the heroic figure who is considered to be responsible to end 4000 years of a slavery society in a monarchy system.

The capitol city of Wuhan is a modern metropolis and a commercial centre of finance, industry, trade and science. It has many international companies and scientific, technological and educational institutions such as Laser City and the Wuhan University. It is China’s 7th largest city with more than 8 million people.

In the western part of the province is the famous Wudang Mountain. Wudang is considered the Taoist Holyland of China. Wudang wushu or martial arts are still practiced here and you can witness a demonstration when you visit the ancient temple complex. If you have read the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, you will find the Red Cliff on the Yangtze, near present day Chibi City, which is referenced in The Battle of Red Cliff in the book.

Hubei’s best known natural scenery is the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. The Yangtze River is considered the third longest river in the world (behind the Nile and Amazon) at just under 4000 miles. A popular travel choice is to take a Yangtze River Cruise, beginning in Wuhan, the capital, and to travel to the Chongqing. Along the cruise there is a pass through Xiling Gorge then through Wu Gorge and finally Qutang Gorge in the Chongquing municipality. It has the famed and controversial Three Gorges Dam project, which was completed in 2006, and is the largest water conservation project in the world today. Now, freighters are able to navigate 1400 miles inland from the East China Sea to Chongqing municipality.

The Hubei Provincial Museum is located near the East Lake and is home to many ancient artifacts dating back to the Chu State during the Zhou Dynasty. The most famous exhibit is that of the concert bells discovered in the tomb of the Marquis Yi of Zeng with an estimated origination date around 435 B.C. Another important attraction that has ancient ties is the Yellow Crane Tower. The tower has been rebuilt many times on the original spot, and when visitors climb the tower steps they can get an excellent view of the Yangtze River.

For those of you who have children adopted from Hubei and want to return for a homeland visit, contact Louie at louie@lotustours.net. And, to connect with other families from your child’s province, below is a listing of the various Yahoo groups related to Hubei. Hubei province has a proud history and is rich in history and culture.